Homelessness in LA: Part Two

In part 1, the issue of racial inequality was explored as a significant variable that contributes to the crisis of homelessness in Los Angeles. In part 2, mental health is examined as perhaps another significant factor that causes homelessness which goes overlooked by the general public.

According to the CDC 1 in 5, people will experience some form of mental illness in a given year and more than 50% will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their lifetime. Within that group of individuals, only 19.2% of adults received any mental health treatment in 2019. It is already hard to get help for those who have the resources, but what about those who may not have the resources so accessible? 

A study conducted by the LA Times found that about 76% of individuals living on the streets had reported having, or were observed to have been affected by different mental illnesses, substance abuse, poor health, or a physical disability. As shocking as that number is, losing one’s sense of security that a home can provide, can lead to anger, depression, and hopelessness. These strong emotions can cause real damage to one's psyche and when a lot of unimaginable stress and a crippling amount of uncertainty for the future build up, it can or will cause a breakdown in many people. 

Having a mental illness or disability makes life more difficult because now one has to function in a world that doesn’t always accommodate their needs. This makes simple everyday things in life more difficult or even impossible for some, which is why according to Rutger the State University of New Jersey, 90 percent of adults who have a serious mental illness (such as schizophrenia, anxiety, major depression, and bipolar disorder) are unemployed. Some of those who not only suffer from a mental illness or disability but as well as the isolating experience of homelessness turn to different substances, often to relieve themselves of the pain that became their reality. 

When going around Downtown LA to interview those who lack housing, we met Sam. Sam is a 53 y/o black male who grew up in a gang-affiliated neighborhood in East LA. Sam first lost a consistent place to call home at the young age of 19 and he said it never really became a reality to him until years later in his 20s. When people's worst nightmare becomes closer to a reality they don’t really accept it because “it really can’t be happening to me, right?” This question was all too present to Sam at the beginning, but once reality finally came, the damage was already done. First used to keep him warm during the cold nights, alcohol became Sam’s escape from reality. And even when the sun comes up the bottle will just never go down. 

Alcohol and other substances are rampant in the unhoused population where as much as 49% of individuals have a substance abuse disorder. This is alarming seeing as the December 2020 updated Homeless Mortality Report showed that people experiencing homelessness were 36.1 times more likely to die from a drug or alcohol overdose than compared to those in the general population in Los Angeles County. As well as that drug or alcohol overdoses have been the leading cause of death among homeless communities in the county since as far back as 2017 when drug/alcohol overdoses overtook coronary heart disease as the leading cause. 

Many turn to shelters in order to escape the temptation that fills the streets, but many shelter homes often require residents to become sober before being allowed to stay in and as well as meet a certain required number of therapists. It’s easy to ask and require these things from a societal standpoint, not knowing that wellness first starts with a home. It is often impossible for those who lack a secure home to attend appointments for the fear of losing all their belongings which to many homeless, is all they have. Many times once hope is lost, people turn their focus on survival rather than improving and progressing. 

This loss of hope and inability to want to improve has led many to go down a dark and irreversible path. Suicide is a hard subject for most people to face and talk about, and it is even harder for those who have no one to even hear them out. So to some of those currently experiencing homelessness, suicide seems to be their only out. In LA County, suicide has been the 5th leading cause of death among homeless groups since 2015. And from 2017-2019 homeless have been 8x more likely to die from suicide than those living in the general public. To be in a situation where death is better than continuing to live and where the uncertainty of where one will end up after experiencing death seems more comforting than the certainty of tomorrow is truly horrifying. 

There is hope out there though. Sam thought his life was over, but sometime in his 40s, he decided to become sober. He hasn’t escaped the clutches of homelessness yet, but Sam has been searching for ways out. As of now Sam has found an organization called The People Concern and is working with them to find him a better environment for himself so he can get his life on the path he wants to be on. Sam isn’t the only one qualified to receive help though. With the help of the Homeless Initiative Strategies and Measure H funding, LA County will be able to contract 200 nonprofit organizations that are community-based to provide help for those at risk or those already experiencing homelessness. The governor has also started a multi-billion dollar housing investment which will provide around 55,000 new housing units and treatment slots in the coming years. It is fortunate that so many organizations have been built to help protect those at risk of homelessness and to protect those who are currently experiencing it. 

Although there are those who are willing and able to help, the problem has not been solved yet. When a grand majority of people are experiencing a horrible moment in their lives it is difficult to help when the helping hands are so limited in their power. Homelessness is very much still prevalent and many do have to suffer alone in the streets while handling the huge burden of suffering with a mental illness. While the present looks dim, it does not mean we cannot have hopeful thoughts for a brighter future.